increased by 2,100 to 10,033,000. Full-time employment decreased by 4,800 to 7,141,300 while part-time employment increased by 6,900 to 2,891,700.

UNEMPLOYMENT

increased by 7,000 to 543,600. The number of persons looking for full-time work decreased by 2,300 to 381,200 and the number of persons looking for part-time work increased by 9,300 to 162,400.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

increased slightly, but the rounded estimate remained at 5.1%. The male unemployment rate remained at 5.1% and the female unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.2%.

PARTICIPATION RATE

remained at 64.4%.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE

Release Date

January 2006

9 February 2006

February 2006

9 March 2006

March 2006

6 April 2006

April 2006

11 May 2006

May 2006

8 June 2006

June 2006

13 July 2006

ROUNDING

Estimates of monthly change shown on the front cover have been calculated using unrounded estimates, and may be different from, but are more accurate than, movements obtained from the rounded estimates. The graphs on the front cover also depict unrounded estimates.

SAMPLING ERRORS

The estimates in this publication are based on a sample survey. Because the entire population is not enumerated, the published estimates and the movements derived from them are subject to sampling variability. Standard errors give a measure of this variability and appear on pages 27 and 28.

The 95% confidence intervals below provide another way of looking at the variability inherent in estimates from sample surveys. The interval bounded by the two limits is the 95% confidence interval. A 95% confidence interval has a 95% chance of including the true value of the estimate.

Movements in seasonally adjusted series between November and December 2005

Monthly change

95% Confidence interval

Total Employment

2 100

-49 900

to

54 100

Total Unemployment

7 000

-21 200

to

35 200

Unemployment rate

0.1 pts

-0.1 pts

to

0.3 pts

Participation rate

0.0pts

-0.4 pts

to

0.4pts

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Michael Johnson on Canberra (02) 6252 6525.

PRINCIPAL LABOUR FORCE SERIES TREND ESTIMATES

EMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of employed persons rose from 8,335,200 in December 1995 to 9,056,400 in September 2000. The trend then fell slightly to 9,034,700 in January 2001, before rising to stand at 10,031,300 in September 2005. The trend has fallen slightly since then to stand at 10,025,300 in December 2005.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of unemployed persons rose from 738,000 in December 1995 to 771,700 in February 1997. The trend then generally fell to 583,400 in September 2000, before rising to 685,300 in October 2001. The trend then fell to 533,000 in July 2005, before rising to stand at 543,700 in December 2005.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The trend unemployment rate rose from 8.1% in December 1995 to 8.4% in February 1997, before falling to 6.1% in September 2000. After rising to 7.0% in October 2001, the trend has since generally fallen to stand at 5.1% in December 2005.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS TREND ESTIMATES

UNEMPLOYED MALES

TOTAL

The trend estimate of unemployed males rose from 442,000 in December 1995 to 451,000 in March 1997. The trend then generally fell to 342,100 in August 2000, before rising to 394,000 in October 2001. The trend estimate then fell to 279,700 in May 2005, before rising to stand at 299,600 in December 2005.

MALES LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME WORK

The trend estimate of unemployed males looking for full-time work generally decreased from 396,500 in December 1995 to 287,900 in July 2000. The trend then rose to 329,500 in October 2001, before generally falling to 220,900 in May 2005. The trend has since risen to stand at 236,900 in December 2005.

MALES LOOKING FOR PART-TIME WORK

Although fluctuating, the trend estimate of unemployed males looking for part-time work increased from 45,500 in December 1995 to 66,200 in November 2002. The trend then fell to 56,000 in October 2003, before rising to 64,200 in September 2004. The trend estimate then fell to 58,300 in July 2005, before rising to stand at 62,700 in December 2005.

UNEMPLOYED FEMALES

TOTAL

The trend estimate of unemployed females rose from 296,000 in December 1995 to 321,400 in January 1997. The trend then fell to 240,000 in September 2000, before rising to 291,700 in November 2001. Since then, the trend estimate has generally fallen to stand at 244,100 in December 2005.

FEMALES LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME WORK

The trend estimate of unemployed females looking for full-time work rose from 211,000 in December 1995 to 223,700 in February 1997, before generally falling to 152,700 in September 2000. The trend then rose to 188,700 in October 2001. Since then, although increasing for short periods in early 2003 and early 2005, the trend has generally fallen to stand at 148,300 in December 2005.

FEMALES LOOKING FOR PART-TIME WORK

The trend estimate of unemployed females looking for part-time work has fluctuated over the last 10 years, rising from 85,000 in December 1995 to a high of 110,100 in April 2001. The trend estimate currently stands at 95,800 in December 2005.